Supplements

• The sports nutrition and weight loss industry was a reported $19.6 billion dollar industry in 2009, according to the "Nutrition Business Journal," with sports nutrition supplements making up 13 percent of the total market. Bodybuilding.com lists the top supplement types used to best increase muscle building potential. The list includes protein, creatine, glutamine, multivitamins, natural testosterone boosters, HMB, nitric oxide, anti-estrogens, protein bars, amino acids and zinc monomethionine aspartate. All claim to increase muscle mass and speed up the muscle-building process.
  
  

Unscientifically Proven

• Little scientific evidence is reported to support the claims of these products and consumer reviews do not provide the proper evidence needed. Users report a mixed bag of effectiveness; often, the undesirable side effects far outweigh any sign of increased muscle growth. BulkNutrition.com is a popular nutritional supplement store with a large community providing user reviews. A search through these reviews returns anything but conclusive evidence regarding the effectiveness of muscle building supplements, with some people lauding it and others condemning.
  
  

Analysis

• A meta-analysis on the effects of dietary supplements on lean and strength gains with resistance exercise was put together by the "Journal of Applied Physiology." The purpose of this study was to determine which supplements cause actual lean mass and strength gains. Studies between the years of 1967 and 2001 were analyzed; the length of the workout regime was at least 3 weeks, working out at least 2 days a week. Of the 250 supplements examined, only six supplements met the requirements.
  
  

Effectiveness

• From the conclusion of the analysis, the Journal of Applied Physiology found that of the 250 supplements reviewed, only two were found to have conclusive evidence of providing aid in lean mass gain and strength gains. Creatine and HMB, a metabolite of the essential amino acid leucine, were the only supplements found to double lean mass over the placebo effect.
  
  

Warnings

• Despite research supporting little evidence of the muscle building claims, these facts still will not deter people from trying them out and looking for that miracle supplement that provides exploding muscle growth. Be sure to research the supplements and get the facts before ingesting them.